Tripanelled collapsible wardrobe



H. DERMAN Dec. 23, 1947.

TR I PANELLED COLLAP S IBLE WARDROB Filed Jan. 27, 1944 INVENTOR /mwfmMA/v TTORNE Y Patented Dec. 23, 19.47

and them strips l5 seemed` thereto; as clearly shown in Fig. 6. Only one of these couplings is shown, but upper and lower ends of both strips I1 will be of the same construction.

rlhe reinforcing strip I1 materially aids in strengthening and reinforcing the complete cabinet, and particularly the corners formed between the folds of the side wall members with the integral back wall member.

The door frame I comprises a large rectangular frame bounded by top and bottom rails 22 and 23 respectively, and vertical side rails 24 and 25. All of the rails 22-25 are grooved, as will be noted in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing, to receive forward edges of the top and bottom walls I2 and I3, and the side walls I6 of the cabinet, and suitable fasteningdevices will be employed in securing the door frame to said walls.

The top and bottom rails 22-23 are also joined by widely spaced intermediate rails 26 and 21. The rails 25 and 21 are actually built into and form a unit part of the door frame construction. For example, the ends of the rails have tongues 28 fitting in grooved portions 25 on the inner surfaces of the rails 22-23, one of which mountings is shown at the top of Fig. 3 of the drawing. The frame is also preferably reinforced by top and bottom inner strips 30 and SI. The strip SI) comprising a short strip, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, whereas the strip 3! preferably runs the full width of the cabinet. These strips 30 and 3| are preferably secured to inner surfaces of the top and bottom Walls I2 and I3, and serve to stiifen the forward edges of these Walls, and further to guide the placement of the walls in the grooves of the top and bottom rails 22 and 23 in the assemblage of the cabinet.

Lower ends of the rails 25 and 21 are joined by a solid panel portion 32, which reinforces the central panel portion of the frame and also minimizes the length of the opening in the panel, which opening is bounded by the rails 25-2? and the rail 22, as well `as the panel portion 32.

The upper end of the panel portion 32 is grooved, as seen at 33, as are also inner edges of the rails 25 and 21, as seen at 34--35, to receive a mirror or other panel 35, having a corrugated or other cushioning back wall 31, which also fits in the grooves bordering the panel opening. The lower edge of the top rail 22 will be grooved similarly to the panel portion 32, and as the mounting of the mirror is the same at all corner portions, the brief description of one of these mountings will be sufficient.

Arranged in the grooves of the framework of the center panel at corner portions thereof are substantially triangular tabs 38, preferably of thin cushioning material, which will provide, in ccnjunction with the backing 31, a cushioned mounting of the mirror 35 in the door frame or the center panel portion thereof. Several transverse retaining strips 39 are secured to inner sui-faces of the rails 26, 21, and have projections 45 which t into the grooved portions of the rails to firmly press the backing 31 upon the mirror and also to reinforce the mounting of the mirror in the frame. These strips are illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing.

Two substantially similar door members 4I and 42 are pivotally or hingedly mounted in the frame part Il), and arranged at opposite sides of the center panel. As each door member is of the same construction, the brief description of one will apply to both.

Each door comprises a rectangular reinforcing frame comprising rails grooved on inner edges 4 to receive panel strips or sheets 43. In the present construction, hinges 44 are attached to the outer rails of the framework of the doors 4I, 42, and to the adjacent rails 24, 25 in swingably mounting the doors in connection with the frame.

The doors III-42 are adapted to fit snugly Within the door openings 45, 46, formed between the rails 24, 25 and 25, 21 respectively, and the periphery of the door frames having projecting flanges 41 which overlie the strips or rails bordering the openings 45, 45 to form a tight closure as well as a neat and finished appearance. Fui'- ther, these flanges also check closing movement of the doors. Suitable catch devices, as at 48 and 49 are employed to hold the doors in closed position.

In constructing the door frame unit I0, the panel portion 32 is built into and forms a fixed part of the frame. In addition to gluing as a method of fastening, side edges of the panel 32 have projecting flanges 5U seating in corresponding grooves in the Vertical rails, for example the rails 25 shown in Fig. 5, and nails, screws or other fasteners 5I may also be employed. After the finishing paint coating or the like has been applied, the seams between the parts 32, 26 and 21 would not appear. Therefore, these seams are omitted in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

In Fig. 7 of the drawing, I have shown a slight modification wherein a panel 32 of the same general construction as that employed in Figs. 1 to 5 simply has a drawer opening 52 formed therein, and mounted on the bottom I3 of the cabinet will be two or more rearwardly extending drawer supporting rails 53. Thus a drawer 54 may be mounted in the lower portion of the cabinet and movable inwardly and outwardly through the panel 32. The drawer will comprise two parts, a front wall portion 55 of wood having an outer handle 55-(1, and a cardboard or similar sheet folded to form a bottom wall 56, side walls 51, and a back wall 58.

The back wall will have inturned flanges 59 secured to the side walls 51 by spreaders or similar fasteners 6E). The forward edges of the bottom wall 56 and side walls 51 will be secured to grooved portions of the front wall 55 by nails or other fastening devices as at 6 I With this construction, the drawer may be shipped in a collapsed condition along with the other collapsed cabinet or wardrobe, and then set up and assembled into drawer form, as illustrated in Fig. 7 of the drawing.

It will be understood that in the knockdown condition of the cabinet, the unit I0 constitutes a complete assemblage except for the top finish ing strip 62 and the several parts including the collapsed drawer 54, which will represent a relatively thin package having a width substantially equal to the width of the door unit I 0, and a height also substantially equal to the height of this unit. The reinforcing rails I1 are fixed to and foldable with the side walls I6 of the cabinet, which walls will fold inwardly upon the inner surface of the back wall. It will appear that the depth of the cabinet is substantially half or less than half of the full width thereof. This is largely due to the fact that the greater width is provided in the cabinet as compared to other cabinets of this kind as heretofore constructed.

The cabinet of the kind described will have a materially greater capacity for the storage of clothing and in ad'dition, the Wide center panel portion of the door frame gives strength to the central portion of the cabinet and, at the same time, provides a practical means for mounting a full length mirror which will serve a useful and` scribed, a front door frame unit, said unit comprising a frame having four widely spaced vertical rails joined by top and bottom rails, all of the rails having inner surfaces in a common plane and outer surfaces in a common plane, said rst named rails dividing the unit into elongated side door openings and an elongated central opening, doors movably supported in the unit and controlling said door openings, the vertical rails bordering the central opening having grooves on inner edges thereof, means mounted in said grooves for closing said central opening, transverse strips joining said vertical rails at vertically spaced intervals to support said means in the grooves of said rails, and said means including a drawer slidably supported in the lower portion of said central opening.

2. In a knockdown cabinet of the class described, a front door frame unit, said unit cornprising a frame having four widely spaced vertical rails joined by top and bottom rails, all of the rails having inner surfaces in a common plane and outer surfaces in a common plane, said rst named rails dividing the unit into elongated side door openings and an elongated central opening, doors movably supported in the unit and controlling said door openings, the vertical rails bordering the central opening having grooves on inner edges thereof, a solid panel closing the central opening in the lower portion of the frame, said panel having a groove in its upper edge in alinement with the groves in said vertical rails, a thin wall panel closing the remainder of said opening and seating in the grooves of the solid panel and said rails, means comprising strips joining said Vertical rails at vertically spaced intervals for supporting the last named panel in position, said solid panel having an opening therein, and a collapsible drawer member movable inwardly and outwardly through said opening.

HARRY DERMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 22,425 Rosenthal Jan. 25, 1944 1,897,590 Rohaut Feb. 14, 1933 1,981,971 Steiner Nov. 27, 1934 2,009,482 Derman July 30, 1935 2,019,137 Johnston Oct. 29, 1935 2,046,246 Clem June 30, 1935 2,070,641 Bartels Feb. 16, 1937 2,218,632 Baird Oct. 22, 194,0 2,360,451 Stone Oct. 17, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 19,204 Great Britain 1905 

